What stands out worked out from the figures below

Orleans has the most kids (17.9% under 18).

Goshen has the most expensive homes ($330k median).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Orleans	Goshen
People
Population	809Highest	142Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.7% VT: +2.8%	—
Median age	41.7±5.8Lowest 3% below VT	58.9±8.3Highest 37% above VT
Kids under 18	17.9%±4.5Highest VT: 17.9%	10.6%±11.6Lowest VT: 17.9%
	Orleans and Goshen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.7%±3.2Lowest VT: 21.4%	37.3%±11.7Highest VT: 21.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.8%Lowest VT: 43.8%	42.3%Highest VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±2.1Highest VT: 7%	0%±10Lowest VT: 7%
	Orleans and Goshen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$57,159±$10kHighest 30% below VT	$56,250±$33kLowest 31% below VT
	Orleans and Goshen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$156,300±$18kLowest 51% below VT	$330,000±$115kHighest 4% above VT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$810±$94 34% below VT	—
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,019Lowest 40% below VT	$5,240Highest 4% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.3%±17.2 VT: 48.4%	—
Below poverty line	8.2%Lowest VT: 10.1%	16.2%Highest VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.1%Lowest VT: 73.2%	100%Highest VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT	1978Highest 2 yrs newer than VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 33% above VT	21 minLowest 11% below VT
Work from home	8.3%±3.7Lowest VT: 16.9%	12.1%±9.3Highest VT: 16.9%
	Goshen and Orleans are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.